In the world of fashion, Anna Sui’s spring ’14 collection takes you on a creative journey. She mixes vintage styles with her current obsessions. Her looks are hip, exuberant and effortlessly styled original designs that are easy to wear. Whether Sui’s inspiration is the Victorian era, cowboys, Andy Warhol or finished textile prints, her depth of cultural knowledge is always apparent.
“When I’m interested in something, I want to know everything about it,” said Sui. “I need to know what’s behind it all. I really enjoy that process.” Sui’s constant search for new ideas and challenges keeps her ahead of her time. She’s a true trendsetter. Many stylists and editors look to her for direction. The boundless energy and creative ingenuity of her runway presentations always make her shows a high point of New York Fashion Week.
Sui’s career journey is a classic American success story. “You have to focus on your dreams, even if they go beyond common sense,” she noted. How could this young girl from the suburbs of Detroit become so successful in New York? Her success was due to her hard work and her dedication to consistently delivering her best. “It was always that dream,” she said. Today, Sui has over 50 boutiques in eight countries. Her collection is sold in 300 stores in over 10 countries.
Sui still has the same love of fashion that she exhibited as a little girl. She made her decision to become a designer at the age of 4, when she started to make her own clothes. Sui combined a very serious approach to learning her craft with eccentric ideas. For instance, she vowed to never wear the same outfit twice in one year. “I was completely obsessed,” she confessed. “I don’t know how my parents put up with me.” Before the end of her senior year in high school, Sui was accepted to Parson’s School of Design in New York. After two years at Parsons, Sui styled with friend Steven Meisel and designed for several sportswear companies before launching her first collection in 1981.
Sui’s business continued to grow in the 1980s. In 1991, she presented her first runway show. The following year, her SoHo boutique on Greene Street opened. The boutique’s vibrant mix of black Victorian furniture, purple walls, papier-mâché doll heads and rock ’n’ roll posters attracted media attention. This decor has been the design model for all of her shops. She has a devotion to detail.
Sui is known for her commitment to the things that move her. She’s also devoted to rock ’n’ roll and she makes clothes perfect for a rock ’n’ roll superstar. Sui loves to shop, and she has a passion for interior design. From the looks in her show, Sui continues to inspire and dream.
Good Show!